Wyrd and Orlog

This is why I'm an eclectic Pagan.  Certain things annoy me, or make me feel argumentative and poke holes and go Yeah butt.  sigh.  I'm also a modern American.  My values are shaped by many ethics and a decent understanding of Psychology.

I like Will Wheatons Don't be a Dick and The Greens think of people complexly and try to be awesome.  I think Germanic values are important, but so are the Christian and some tribal Native American values, and hell Buddhism has some decent points as well.

Wyrd is the fate we wrought by our own actions.  Or the basic understanding of Karma.  Orlog is what is wrought by our ancestors.  http://www.englishfolkchurch.com/Lorehoard/wyrd.htm

Or as it was put at the Heathen discussion:  Wyrd is what we do, it's our actions and deeds.  Orlog is what we were born into.  You can't change being born in middle ages Africa to the year 300 Alaska.  Is it bad that Doctor Who popped into my mind as a loophole argument?

Another example:  Germans were a Tribal folk.  You didn't really leave the area you were born into(well Viking Raiders did and merchants but anyway...).  Think small town mentality.  If you were born into a family that is known for thieves, is the town going to expect you to be any better.

Makes growly face.  The discussion isn't wrong, and while it can be debated, see the englishfolkchurch link, I can't say the understanding is wrong.  I just don't like the concept of Orlog.  I don't like the philosophy. Take that far enough and you get the Indian undesirables.

Yes there is some grounds to your family helps shape your fate.  If you are born into a family that has alcoholism, there is a likely chance you may be an alcoholic as well.  Yes if you are born into a functional two family unit, you have a greater chance of making it, than if you were born into a single family unit.

It annoys me, because it is used to Discern whether someone is fit to join a tribe.  That is their right.  I just have known many broken people, I have been a broken person.  People didn't shy away from me, but lifted me up(many of them Christian) and helped me see why I was doing what I was doing.  They didn't worry whether doing so, would impact their wyrd and whether it would make things go funky.

My mom taught me another concept.  Don't judge a book by it's cover.  I think that's a better concept to live by, instead of someones wyrd or orlog, before accepting someone into my circle of friends.  It has proven to be true.  Those that come from "good" families have just as much dysfunctional crap as those that come from poorer circumstances.

My point is Orlog bugs the shit out of me.  I didn't really figure out why, until watching a documentary on the kids of people in prison who killed.  There are so many reasons why people do something.  There is no reason in today's America and with our modern understanding of psychology to go back to shitty concepts.  People shouldn't have to pay for what their ancestors did, or their parents did.  It's bad simplistic thinking to think that people, who were born to thieves will automatically be thieves.  Not counting the fact that there are probably pretty darn good reasons that family may be thieves.  Poverty makes you do many things.

There is a wisdom about not judging someone until you have walked in their shoes.  I try to do that.  I also try to not be so open minded my brain falls out.  However it hurts no one to try to see their perspective on things.  It hurts no one to try to see how their life and their troubles may have caused their actions.  

Then there is the wonderful, but if you come from struggling circumstances but make something good of yourself, what a story to tell.  Screw that.  Lift someone up.  You see someone struggling, no matter if they are in your tribe or not, don't be a dick and get off your tuckus and lend a damn hand.  I know it may be a very Jewish value, though actually it is a German value(probably inspired by Christianity) to get off your ass and and help you neighbor, but hell it makes life a lot easier to live, and favors are usually returned.  AKA pay it the hell forward.

UPG about owls and Cernunnos and fall foliage

Been watching this you tube art scene.  While it inspires me to try something similar, within my talents using acrylics, this one in particular hit me.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhdqW1UBilY

I see Cernunnos at the bottom of the tree.  The Fall foliage is part of my vision.  The owl in this painting is feminine though.  She is her own person but with him.  I get a fey component, due to visions of David Bowies Labyrinth in my head.

I think I ran into her before, when I was young.  I think she's the next stanza of the poem, Lady of the Night.

What I remember:

Here me now
First Lady of the Light
Drink for me now
The cup of life

Here me now
First lady of the night
Drink for me now

Seems to tie in with this post
http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/2015/04/celts-cauldrons-and-grail-and-old-dream.html

My Sigyn spoonflower design
http://www.spoonflower.com/designs/4526246

When they severed the earth from the sky a review and why I think it's imp to modern Pagans

http://www.amazon.com/When-They-Severed-Earth-Sky/dp/0691127743/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1439231325&sr=1-1&keywords=when+they+severed+earth+from+sky

4 stars,I think it could have been a little less secular in regards to people and religions.  Then again what should I expect from an Archaeology book. I think however it explains so much about myths and the reasons behind them.  It gives a lot information to think about.  What using science in our Pagan religions, heresy, we can't have that.

So what is this book about?  Essentially it's about how myths are encoded, what they were used for and how to decode them.  What happens to information that is lost and why it was lost.  It's fascinating on a cerebral level.

Why is it important to me as a Lokean?  Well......  Loki being restrained is about seismic activity(well Snorri already told us that).  The tale wasn't from Iceland but from the Indo Europeans, who used to live next to the Caucus tribes.  It's really about the dormant volcano Mt Erebus.  So btw is Prometheus(Greeks were Indo Europeans to) and the Nart tales.  Oh and Ragnarock is about the earth wobble and the stars changing and how that will effect navigation.

What does that mean?  Well we aren't our ancestors.  For one thing many of us are literate.  For another thing, despite us being animists and thinking many things have will and other shiny magical creature stuff, we are still products of this century and science is important to us as well.  So we can calm the fuck down about Ragnarock if it's really about the stars changing.  Loki doesn't have to be about the killing of Balder if it's really explaining Seismic activity.  Prometheus doesn't have to keep living tied to that damn mountain and being tortured for the hubris of giving man fire.  We can have a new relationship with our Gods.

I'm going to include the link from Amazon, read others reviews http://www.amazon.com/When-They-Severed-Earth-Sky/product-reviews/0691127743/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=byRankDescending

hmmmmmmmmmmmm

https://oneofamyriadfaces.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/loki-and-women/

It's bland John

One of the reasons I don't make fun of Fundamentalist Christians and how religion effects their life, is because I am similar.  I spent this morning, instead of reading the Bible, or sermon from some other Christian, or reading how Christianity effected someone, I read these two posts:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/2015/08/06/you-can-be-a-good-athenian-and-a-gadfly/#st_refDomain=www.facebook.com&st_refQuery=/

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2015/08/you-cant-practice-paganism-while-you-look-down-your-nose-at-it.html

John Beckett I agree with.  I think his sermon can be best expressed into one word though.  That word is respect.

I'm not entirely sure why John Halstead you are worried that the scientific method can't be used, or that Polytheists(hard, soft, squishy in the middle, or other various Pagans of squishiness) can't use healthy skepticism.  I've seen plenty of Polytheists argue with you, and they manage to do so intelligently and use logic in the process.  I think you are letting your fears from your days of Mormonism flow into your religious experience and feel if you aren't separate enough, you will fall into the Mormon trap that you feel is bad.

I think that John forgets that our Gods aren't the Mormon or Fundamentalist Christian God.  None of the Gods I have encountered want obedience to the extent that I have seen in the Christian Fundamentalist circles.  I think it might help if you got to know our Gods a bit better before being concerned about that trap.

Ok First off, I as a Devotional Polytheist, am not trying to prove my Gods are real seperate distinct individuals.  I know they are.  I know they are the same way that John I know you are John Halstead, midwestern attorney and sometimes Gadfly of Patheos(btw I'm more annoying then you, sticks out tongue lol).  You and I can't be interchanged.  Thus goes one of the arguments of Hard Polytheists about picking and choosing Gods.

Your other argument, that people won't feel as welcome in the big tent of Pagandom if you don't argue, I find confusing.  Hard Polytheists aren't saying you can't be a Pagan.  They are unequivocally saying you can't be my type of Polytheist if you believe or say x, or y, or z.  If people don't feel comfy after encountering people who argue, it's not my problem.  Paganism is largely a religion full of adults.  It's not my job to hold peoples hands, in case their feelings get hurt.  I would argue it's highly disrespectful to the seeker to expect that.  You are expecting us to treat newbies like children, or experienced people like children.  Not gonna happen.

I think you also forget that not everyone wants, desires, or wishes religion the way you do.  I am a Polytheist because it isn't bland.  I found the CUUPs way to be bland, Wicca(while not blandish, not as real as I liked) and Pantheism is bland.  I want the full flavor and access to the spices to flavor my religion that I get out of Polytheism.  See Mind of a Chef season 3 with Edward Lee on how I like my Polytheist food.

My email to Escambioso Sheriffs department.

Greetings and Salutations.

I am emailing you about a concern I have after coming home from grocery shopping.  I came home to see this news report http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-wiccan-ritual-killing-leaves-three-dead-pensacola-n404256 .  As a Pagan since 1993, mother of three, and resident of Florida, I have grave concerns about the conclusions you have jumped to.  Will this impact me on my locally?  Fears of the SRA's scare of the 1980's float through my head. http://www.stopbadtherapy.com/myths/sra.shtml

I am having a hard time believing it was given to the media as a Wiccan ritual killing.  What do you know about Wicca?  How can you jump to that conclusion when a 10 second google search would tell you that Wicca doesn't do this?  Failing that, why didn't you contact any local Pagan leader to talk to about this?  http://triplemoonwiccangrove.webs.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PaganMilitaryAssociation
http://www.witchvox.com/

How is what happened a "ritual" killing?  What did the suspect call down the God and Goddess, cast a circle to keep out bad energy?  What do you know about Wiccan ritual?  I doubt very much.  Here for your educational purposes read and be informed http://wicca.cnbeyer.com/

Ok Ok maybe you mistook Wicca and Witchcraft, it happens.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft (I realize I'm giving you a Wikipedia link but Witchcraft is a broad term, as is Pagan.  It encompasses many geographical locations, cultures, and many beliefs.) Still, I can't think of any valid Witchcraft that would do this.  Sure there are mentally challenged individuals who would claim this, but then Charles Manson claimed he was Jesus, doesn't make him so, anymore than scarring a symbol on his forehead makes him Lucifer either.  There is still a dearth of information regarding Witchcraft even Satanic Witchcraft that should inform you that no, human sacrifice doesn't happen.  That is once you take away the sensationalist Christian sources, that think anything related to Harry Potter, Pokemon is some sort of demonic distraction sources.  BTW, Landover Baptist is a site that lampoons Christians, so they shouldn't be taken seriously either.

I am highly disappointed. I realize that Sheriffs department aren't as thorough as the police in Law in Order, CSI Miami(or any CSI episode) Detective Chief Inspector Tom Geofrrey Barnaby in Midsommer Murders, or Sherlock, but I had illusions the police were more thorough then the local gossip columnist.  I believe you owe an apology to Wiccans everywhere and Pagans everywhere.  It should be given to the news as well as going in person to local Pagans.

Sincerely,
Bianca Bradley
The evil Pagan Republican(a tag I use, since many Pagans are vehemently liberal and I"m one of the few Republicans who have very few issues with Christians) author of http://paininthebum.blogspot.com/

other contact info I'm redacting for the blog.


Contact info for the Sheriff
email
dcwiggins@escambiaso.com
http://www.escambiaso.com/index.php/newsroom/pio/

edited in what the family said
http://wkrg.com/2015/08/05/smith-relatives-discuss-witchcraft-triple-murder-in-pensacola/